General aviation activities offer numerous benefits to communities and societies, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and contributing billions of US dollars in revenue. According to 2022 statistics, there are approximately 350,000 aircraft and around 1,000,000 pilots active in the global general aviation industry.

Hồ Thanh Hương (Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Bluesky Airways)

Many industry experts consider Vietnam to have significant potential for developing general aviation activities; however, the number of organisations operating in the country remains very limited. The leader of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam stated, "Enterprises operating in the field of general aviation in Vietnam are still few in number, and the scale of these enterprises is modest. For example, the type of general aviation that offers charter flights for VIPs has only begun to develop in recent years. Currently, the country has only three or four enterprises providing these services."

Notably, Bluesky Airways is an airline whose license was revoked by the Ministry of Transport in 2021, forcing its "termination" after it had never taken off in over ten years since its establishment.

Having worked in aircraft leasing and purchasing at major airlines for more than 20 years, Ho Thanh Huong recognised the potential for development in Vietnam's general aviation market and decided to invest in Bluesky Airways after the airline's operating license was revoked.

CEO Hồ Thanh Hương and a Vietnamese brand Bluesky Airways aircraft

CEO Ho Thanh Huong explained that general aviation encompasses the use of many types of aircraft as well as various services. The operation and service of fixed-wing business aircraft are also developing in Vietnam. Therefore, she decided to invest in this airline in 2021 and initiated a project to request the restoration of its revoked license. After being re-granted the general aviation license in mid-2021, Bluesky Airways launched its first flight to serve charter business passengers in early 2022.

“The decision to invest in a 'dead' airline cannot be considered reckless; rather, it reflects a love for the profession and a desire to revive and develop this type of general aviation,” Ho Thanh Huong recalls.

Three years after its revival, Bluesky Airways has been operating Falcon 8X, Falcon 2000, Gulfstream G650, G450, and Boeing BBJ aircraft. Currently, Bluesky Airways' customers travel domestically and internationally on business aircraft, either block-chartering entire aircraft or chartering flights.

Continuing the desire to fly despite no private airport for general aviation

The cost of a charter flight based on demand is substantial, so Bluesky Airways' customer base is "super small" but "super rich," and their service requirements are also "super special." With the slogan "dedicated," the staff at Bluesky Airways is affirming its leading position in the charter flight market in Vietnam. In addition to serving business customers, CEO Ho Thanh Huong also aims to explore other underdeveloped areas of general aviation in Vietnam.

"The remaining areas for exploitation, such as sightseeing tourism flights, emergency flights, and hobby flying clubs, are almost undeveloped in Vietnam. I believe this is partly due to the unclear policies regarding these types," Huong said.

Bluesky Airways’ flight experience.

“For example, Decree 125/2015-ND-CP, issued by the Prime Minister on December 4, 2015, provides detailed regulations on flight operations management, including specific regulations on airspace for general aviation activities. However, in Vietnam, there is no planning or construction of airspaces and airports with parameters, flight methods, and landing approaches specifically for general aviation activities.

"We do not even have any airports planned for general aviation. Therefore, businesses operating in this field hope that management agencies will soon address existing issues so that the general aviation sector can develop in the future”.